Toilet flush valve assembly

ABSTRACT

A toilet flush vale including a buoyant valve member movable toward and away from a valve seat and normally held thereagainst by the hydrostatic pressure of water in the tank. The valve member has an annular flange for seating on the valve seat, and a flexible sealing gasket is carried by the valve member a small distance below the annular flange so as to define an annular gap therebetween. A guide rod depends from the valve member in guided engagement with a guide structure below the seat. The valve member is moved away from the seat by means of a flexible line, and an external arm member connected to an overflow pipe of the flush valve assembly serves to guide the flexible line and to limit upward travel of the valve member and thereby prevent disengagement of the guide members.

O United States Patent [151 3,701,169 Kamphausen 1 Oct. 31, 1972 [54]TOILET FLUSH VALVE ASSEMBLY 3,368,224 2/1968 Ament ..4/56 X [72]Inventor: Dan K'mphusen, Limetonvcola I 3,490,083 1/1970 Firth ..4/56 X[73] Assignee: Twentieth Century Products Cor- Primary Examiner-Henry K.Artis poration, Englewood, Colo. Attorney-Christel & Bean [22] Filed:Nov. 25, 1969 [5'71 I v ABSTRACT [211 App]' 879884 A toilet flush valeincluding a buoyant valve member movable toward and away from a valveseat and nor- [52] US. Cl ..4/57, 4/56 'mally held thereagainst by thehydrostatic pressure of [51] Int. Cl. ......E03d 1/34 ater in the tank.The valve member has an annular [58] Fi ld of S ar h ,.4/56, DIG, 1, 57,57 P,-67, flange for seating on the valve seat, and a flexible seal-4/67 A, 53 ing gasket is carried by the valve member a small I distancebelow the annular flange so as to define an [56] References Citedannular gap therebetween. A guide rod depends from the valve member inguided engagement with a guide UNITED STATES PATENTS structure below theseat. The valve member is moved away from the seat by means of aflexible line, and an iggg a??? external arm member connected to anoverflow pipe 4 1955 c I 6 x of the flush valve assembly serves to guidethe flexible 2705808 en line and to limit upward travel of the valvemember 3; and thereby prevent disengagement of the guide memb I3,302,217 2/1967 Schrock ..4/57 P 3,325,828 6/1967 Alexander ..4/57 P X8 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures PA'T'ENTEDncIBI I972 3.701. 169

INVENTOR. DHN KHMPHHUSf/V TOILET FLUSH VALVE ASSEMBLY BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION This invention relates to a new and useful toilet flush valveassembly.

The usual toilet flush valve construction employs a valve member movabletoward and away from a valve seat and normally held thereagainst by thehydrostatic pressure of water in the tank. Providing the requisitesealing action has been a difficult problem compounded by the fact that,as a practical matter, exact alignment of the valve member with its seatcannot be maintained. Heretofore, valve members commonly comprised astopper ball of rubber or like-resiliently flexible material whichundesirably was subject to deterioration and uneven wear eventuallycausing improper seating with the resulting necessity of replacement.More recently valve members of plastic material have been employed whichvalve members advantageously are lighter in weight and generally notsubject to distortion. With these plastic arrangements, it is necessaryto provide a structure which insures a consistently effective sealbetween valve member and valve seat so as to prevent leakage.

In valve assemblies of this general type it has been found extremelyadvantageous to employ a flexible line connected to the valve member forselectively lifting the same away from the valve seat. One reason isthat the valve member, when buoyant once lifted to open the flushingpassage has a tendency to spring to full open position and float on thewater being discharged. The flexible line accommodates this action.Another reason is to facilitate proper alignment of valve member andseat whereby the flexible line permits the valve member to drop freelyon its seat. When a flexible line is employed, however, there must alsobe included a structure for limiting upward travel of the valve member.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is, therefore, an object of the presentinvention to provide an improved toilet flush valve assembly having avalve member and valve seat of plastic material and of a design whichinsures a consistently effective seal between valve member and seat.

It is a further object of this invention to provide such a flush valveassembly wherein the valve seat can be of relatively simple constructionand the valve flushing passage relatively smooth and continuous.

It is a further object of this invention to provide such a flush valveassembly wherein the upward travel of the valve member is limited by anarrangement which is relatively easy to manufacture and maintainsalignment between valve member and seat.

The present invention provides a toilet flush valve having a buoyantvalve member movable toward and awayfrom a valve seat which member hasan annular flange for seating on the valve seat and normally heldthereagainst by the pressure of water in the tank. A sealing gasket iscarried by the valve member below the flange and spaced a slightdistance therefrom. A guide rod depends from the valve member in guidedengagement with a guide structure below the seat. A flexible line isemployed for lifting the valve member, and a single member, external tothe valve passage, serves to both guide the line and limit upward travelof the valve member.

The foregoing and other advantages and characterizing features of thepresent invention will become clearly apparent from the ensuing detaileddescription of a preferred embodiment thereof taken in conjunction withthe accompanying drawing wherein:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES FIG. 1 is a side view, partlyin elevation and partly in section, of a toilet flush valve assemblyconstructed in v DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTReferring now in detail to the exemplary embodiment illustrated in theaccompanying drawing, a toilet flush valve assembly of my inventioncomprises a body, generally designated 1, which advantageously can bemolded or otherwise formed from non-corrosive, synthetic plasticmaterial. A nipple 2 depends from body 1 to extend through the bottomwall 3 of a toilet tank, with a sealing gasket 4 of rubber or similarmaterial positioned between the under surface of body 1 and the tankbottom wall 3. A ring nut 5 is threaded on nipple 2 for bearing againstthe outer side of tank wall 3, to securely and releasably lock theassembly of my invention in position in the toilet tank.

Body 1 is formed to provide an outlet or flushing passage 6 extendingdownwardly therethrough and through nipple 2, and at the upper end ofpassage 6 body 1 is formed to provide a valve seat 7. It will be notedthat passage 6 is smooth and continuous through the entire axial lengththereof and that seat 7 comprises merely the relatively thin annular endface of body 1.

Body 1 is extended laterally in one direction, and is formed with alateral passage 8 opening into outlet passage 6 at a point below valveseat 7 and communicating with an overflow pipe 9 carried by body 1 inlaterally offset relation to passage 6. Pipe 9 like body 1 can be ofsynthetic plastic material.

A valve member 10 of hollow, two-part construction is provided andadvantageously can be molded or otherwise formed from synthetic plastic.The top part includes a generally dish-shaped body portion 11 providedwith a first rim or annular rigid flange 12 extending radially outwardlytherefrom and a second rim or flange l3 spaced therefrom, extendingradially inwardly,.and terminating in a downwardly extending lip 14.Flanges l2 and 13 each are disposed in corresponding planes generallyperpendicular to the axis of valve passage 6 when valve member 10 isseated, which planes are parallel and spaced slightly from each other.The bottom part of valve member 10 includes a relatively smaller,generally dish-shaped body portion 15 which terminates in an annular lip16 and which body is provided with a rim or flange 17 extending radiallyoutwardly and spaced slightly below the upper end of lip 16.

By virtue of this arrangement the two parts of valve member 10 areadapted to be snap-fit together and maintained in assembled condition byfrictional engagement, lip 14 fitting snugly within lip 16. Of course,they can be bonded together. A relatively thin ring or gasket 18 ofrubber or similar resilient, sealing material is positioned between thetwo parts and firmly retained so as to be carried by valve member whenthe parts are assembled. In particular, the inner portion of sealinggasket 18 is received in the annular gap between the underside of flange13 and the upper surface of flange l7. Gasket 18 is of a size such thatit extends radially outwardly from valve .body 10 a distance slightlybeyond the periphery of flange 12. Gasket 18 is spaced axially a shortdistance from flange 12 so as to define an annular gap therebetween, asshown in FIG. 2. The lower face of gasket 18 is adapted to rest on valveseat 7 initially, and the hydrostatic pressure of waterin the toilettank will urge valve member 10 further downwardly so as to eliminate thegap between gasket 18 and flange 12 as will be described in detailhereafter. Accordingly, the size of the lower part of valve member 10,in particular the outer diameter of flange 17, should be smaller thanthe inner diameter of valve seat 7. Likewise, the outer diameters offlange l2 and gasket 18 both should be greater than the inner diameterof valve seat 7 so that both gasket 18 and flange 12 will seat on valveseat 7 to close passage 6 under hydrostatic pressure of water in thetank.

On the top of body portion 11, valve member 10 is formed with a boss 19which, in turn, has an axial bore 20 to receive a flexible pull cord 21of nylon or other plastic material knotted at one end for connection tomember 10 and at the other end having connection to a lever 22 which ispivoted for movement up and down and actuated by the usual flushinghandle on the exterior of the toilet tank, all in a manner well known inthe art and therefore not illustrated herein. Cord 21, being completelyflexible along its entire length, does not kink or cause any similarproblem.

The flush valve assembly includes stop means comprising an arm member 23adapted for connection at one end thereof to pipe 9 and extendinggenerally horizontally into the path of upward travel of valve member10. Arm 23 is of sufficient length so that the projecting end thereofextends slightly beyond the axis of valve passage 6, and arm 23 isprovided at this end with an opening 24 through which line or cord 21extends. Arm 23 thus functions to guide cord 21 and to limit the upwardtravel of valve member 10. The length of arm 23 is such as to allow forconvenient replacement of member 10 as will be described hereafter.

A guide rod 25 depends from valve member 10, in particular from theunder side of body portion 15, and extends down through an apertured hub26 slidably receiving the same and forming part of guide means furthercomprising a spider having spokes 27 secured in flushing passage 6.

Guide rod 25 and hub 26 coact to guide valve 10 into sealing engagementwith valve seat 7, maintaining the same alined when valve 10 is liftedfrom its seat. It is a feature of my invention that separation of guiderod 25 and hub 26 is precluded during normal use because the distancebetween the bottom of arm 23 and the top of hub 26 is less than thedistance between the bottom end of guide rod 26 and the uppermostsurface of valve member 10, which would be the top end of boss 19. Inother words, hub 19 of valve member 10 engages arm 23 to stop upwardmovement of valve member 10 while guide rod 25 is still engaged in hub26.

In operation, valve member 10 normally seats on the upper end of valvebody 1 with the lower face of sealing gasket 18in contact with valveseat 7 and the upper surface of gasket 18 in contact with the lower faceof flange 12 as shown in FIG. 1. Valve member 10 is maintained in thisposition by the hydrostatic pressure of water in the toilet tank. Whenit is desired to flush the toilet, the usual handle is operated to liftlever 22 and thereby pull valve member 10 upwardly, lifting it away fromvalve seat 7. This permits the water in the tank to flow through passage6 and flush the toilet bowl in the usual manner. As valve'member 10 islifted upwardly from seat 7, sealing gasket 18 is moved away from flange12 a short distance creating a gap.

The upward travel of valve member 10 is limited by engagement betweenthe top of boss 19 and the bottom of arm 23. Valve member 10 is buoyant,whereby once it is lifted from valve seat 7 it floats in open positionuntil the water in the tank has been discharged through passage 6whereupon it closes against valve seat 7. The guide means in the form ofrod 25, hub 26 and spokes 27 remain engaged and serve to maintain valvemember 10 aligned with valve seat 7 for proper seating thereon. In theinitial seated position of valve member 10, the bottom surface of gasket18 is in contact with the upper surface of valve seat 7 and a small gapor clearance exists between the top surface of gasket 18 and the bottomsurface of flange 12. As water enters to fill the tank, the hydrostaticpressure of water in the toilet tank will urge valve member 10 furtherdownwardly so as to eliminate that gap or clearance. The upper surfaceof gasket 18 thus comes into contact with the lower surface of flange 12as shown in FIG. 1.

There are several unique and important advantages provided by thisconstruction. The fact that sealing gasket 18 is carried by valveelement 10 simplifies the structure of valve seat 7. Indeed, valve seat7 merely is the relatively thin annular end face in valve body 1 definedby passage 6 therethrough. Moreover, this permits passage 6 to berelatively smooth and .continuous through the entire axial lengththereof which, in turn, greatly simplifies the manufacture andconstruction of the flush valve. In addition, the relatively smooth andcontinuous inner surface of passage 6 results in an efficient, smoothand quiet flow of water therethrough.

Gasket 18 is carried by valve member 10 in a manner providing aneffective seal between member 10 and the horizontal seat 7. When valvemember 10 is on seat 7 and forced downwardly by the hydrostatic pressureof water in the tank, the upper surface of rubber gasket 18 is incontact with the lower surface of flange 12 of plastic valve member 10.Every time valve member 10 is lifted by cord 21 to flush the toilet,gasket 18 is moved downwardly due to its resiliency and the action ofwater so as to be separated from flange 12.

It will be noted that the structural arrangement between gasket 18 andvalve member 10 provides, in effect, a double seal on valve seat 7. Whenvalve member 10 is seated initially on valve seat 7, the lower surfaceof gasket 18 is in contact with the annular end face of valve body 1defining valve seat 7 thereby providing a single seal. Then when thehydrostatic pres sure of water in the tank forces valve member 10further downwardly, the upper surface of gasket 18 is in contact withthe lower surface of flange 12 thereby completing a double seal.

ment with and properly spaced from seat 7. When it is desired tocompletely remove valve member 10, it is simply raised, tilted outwardlyto avoid arm 23, and further withdrawn so that guide rod 25 is separatedfrom hub 26. A new valve member then is installed by reversing thisprocedure. A sufficient clearance exists between rod 25 and the innerbore or aperture of hub 26 so that valve member 10 when fully raised canbe canted slightly thereby clearing the top of boss 19 from theunderside of arm 23.

Valve member 10 is guided from underneath valve seat 7 so that it fallsinto the proper alignment during each use. The sealing surface betweengasket 18 carried by valve member 10 and valve seat ,7 being horizontalprovides a more perfect seal as the weight and pressure of the wateracts squarely on it. Moreover, this seal is consistent due to theguiding from underneath.

It is therefore apparent that the present invention accomplishes itsintended objects. While a single specific embodiment of the presentinvention has been described in a this has been valve by way ofillustration without thought of limitation.

I claim:

l. A toilet flush valve assembly comprising:

a. a body having a flushing passage therethrough and adapted to becarried by a toilet tank normally containing a head of water forflushing an associated toilet bowl;

b. a valve seat at one end of said flushing passage;

c. an upstanding overflow pipe, carried by said body in laterally offsetrelation to said flushing passage, said overflow pipe communicating withsaid flushing passage through a lateral passage opening into saidflushing passage at a point below said valve seat;

d. a buoyant valve member comprising first and second generallydish-shaped body portions adapted to be connected together byinterfitting engagement, one of said body portions having an annularrigid flange for seating on said valve seat to close said flushingpassage under the hydrostatic pressure of such a head of water;

e. a flexible sealing gasket carried by said valve member and positionedbetween said valve member flange and said valve seat in a mannerdefining a relatively small gap between said gasket and said flange whensaid valve member is lifted from said seat;

f. guide rod means depending from said valve member;

g. guide means positioned in said flushing passage below said valve seatfor slidably receiving said rod means; and

h. stop means comprising an arm member connected to said overflow pipeand positioned for abutting said valve member and limiting movement ofsaid valve member away from said valve seat to open said flushingpassage, the distance between the bottom of said arm and the top of saidguide means being less than the distance between the uppermost surfaceof said valve member and the bottom of said guide rod.

2. A flush valve assembly as defined in claim 1 further comprising aflexible line connected to said valve member and slidably received insaid stop means for selectively lifting said valve member away from saidvalve seat.

3. A flush valve assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein the surface ofsaid flushing passage is relatively smooth and continuous over thelength thereof and wherein said valve body terminates at said one end ina relatively thin annular end face defining said valve seat.

4. A flush valve assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said valvemember is of plastic and said sealing gasket is of rubber.

5. A flush valve assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said valvemember comprises two generally dish-shaped parts adapted to be snap-fittogether and wherein said gasket is positioned between said two parts.

6. A flush valve assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said arm is of alength permitting tilting of said valve member when raised so as tophysically remove said guide rod from said guide means.

7. A toilet flush valve assembly comprising:

a. a body having a flushing passage therethrough and adapted to becarried by a toilet tank normally containing a head of water forflushing an associated toilet bowl;

. a valve seat at one end of said flushing passage;

c. an upstanding overflow pipe carried by said body in laterally offsetrelation to said flushing passage, said overflow pipe communicating withsaid flushing passage through a lateral passage opening into saidflushing passage at a point below said valve seat;

. a buoyant valve member having an annular flange for seating on saidvalve seat to close said flushing passage under the hydrostatic pressureof such a head of water;

e. guide rod means depending from said valve member;

f. guide means positioned in said flushing passage below said valve seatfor slidably receiving said rod means; an arm member connected to saidoverflow pipe and positioned for abutting said valve member and limitingmovement of said valve member away from said valve seat to open saidflushing passage, the distance between the bottom of said arm and thetop of said guide means being less than the distance between theuppermost surface of said valve member and the bottom of said guide rod;and

a flexible line connected to said valve member and slidably received insaid arm member for selectively lifting said valve member away from saidvalve seat.

8. A buoyant valve member for a toilet flush valve assembly including abody having a flushing passage therethrough and adapted to be carried bya toilet tank normally containing a head of water for flushing anassociated toilet bowl and a valve seat at one end of said flushingpassage, said buoyant valve member comprising:

' lip, said second portion adapted to be connected to said first portionby interfitting engagement of said annular lips; and I c. a flexiblesealing gasket positioned between said first and second body portionsand extending radially outwardly therefrom in spaced relation to saidfirst annular flange of said first body portion;

d. whereby said gasket rests on the valve seat and is urged into contactwith said first annular flange of said first body portion by thehydrostatic pressure of water in the toilet tank.

1. A toilet flush valve assembly comprising: a. a body having a flushingpassage therethrough and adapted to be carried by a toilet tank normallycontaining a head of water for flushing an associated toilet bowl; b. avalve seat at one end of said flushing passage; c. an upstandingoverflow pipe carried by said body in laterally offset relation to saidflushing passage, said overflow pipe communicating with said flushingpassage through a lateral passage opening into said flushing passage ata point below said valve seat; d. a buoyant valve member comprisingfirst and second generally dish-shaped body portions adapted to beconnected together by interfitting engagement, one of said body portionshaving an annular rigid flange for seating on said valve seat to closesaid flushing passage under the hydrostatic pressure of such a head ofwater; e. a flexible sealing gasket carried by said valve member andpositioned between said valve member flange and said valve seat in amanner defining a relatively small gap between said gasket and saidflange when said valve member is lifted from said seat; f. guide rodmeans depending from said valve member; g. guide means positioned insaid flushing passage below said valve seat for slidably receiving saidrod means; and h. stop means comprising an arm member connected to saidoverflow pipe and positioned for abutting said valve member and limitingmovement of said valve member away from said valve seat to open saidflushing passage, the distance between the bottom of said arm and thetop of said guide means being less than the distance between theuppermost surface of said valve member and the bottom of said guide rod.2. A flush valve assembly as defined in claim 1 further comprising aflexible line connected to said valve member and slidably received insaid stop means for selectively lifting said valve member away from saidvalve seat.
 3. A flush valve assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein thesurface of said flushing passage is relatively smooth and continuousover the length thereof and wherein said valve body terminates at saidone end in a relatively thin annular end face defining said valve seat.4. A flush valve assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said valvemember is of plastic and said sealing gasket is of rubber.
 5. A flushvalve assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said valve member comprisestwo generally dish-shaped parts adapted to be snap-fit together andwherein said gasket is positioned between said two parts.
 6. A flushvalve assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said arm is of a lengthpermitting tilting of said valve member when raised so as to physicallyremove said guide rod from said guide means.
 7. A toilet flush valveassembly comprising: a. a body having a flushing passage therethroughand adapted to be carried by a toilet tank normally containing a head ofwater for flushing an associated toilet bowl; b. a valve seat at one endof said flushing passage; c. an upstanding overflow pipe carried by saidbody in laterally offset relation to said flushing passage, saidoverflow pipe communicating with said flushing passage through a lateralpassage opening into said flushing passage at a point below said valveseat; d. a buoyant valve member having an annular flange for seating onsaid valve seat to close said flushing passage under the hydrostaticpressure of such a head of water; e. guide rod means depending from saidvalve member; f. guide means positioned in said flushing passage belowsaid valve seat for slidably receiving said rod means; g. an arm memberconnected to said overflow pipe and positioned for abutting said valvemember and limiting movEment of said valve member away from said valveseat to open said flushing passage, the distance between the bottom ofsaid arm and the top of said guide means being less than the distancebetween the uppermost surface of said valve member and the bottom ofsaid guide rod; and h. a flexible line connected to said valve memberand slidably received in said arm member for selectively lifting saidvalve member away from said valve seat.
 8. A buoyant valve member for atoilet flush valve assembly including a body having a flushing passagetherethrough and adapted to be carried by a toilet tank normallycontaining a head of water for flushing an associated toilet bowl and avalve seat at one end of said flushing passage, said buoyant valvemember comprising: a. a first, generally dish-shaped body portion havinga first annular rigid flange extending radially outwardly therefrom, asecond annular flange extending radially inwardly and disposed in aplane parallel to and spaced from the plane of said first flange, and anannular rib extending from the inner edge of said second flange and in adirection away from both of said flanges; b. a shallow seconddish-shaped body portion terminating in an annular lip and having anannular flange extending radially outwardly therefrom and disposed in aplane spaced from the edge of said lip, said second portion adapted tobe connected to said first portion by interfitting engagement of saidannular lips; and c. a flexible sealing gasket positioned between saidfirst and second body portions and extending radially outwardlytherefrom in spaced relation to said first annular flange of said firstbody portion; d. whereby said gasket rests on the valve seat and isurged into contact with said first annular flange of said first bodyportion by the hydrostatic pressure of water in the toilet tank.